Spring assembly for upholstery



INVENTOR.

WILL/AM W. GLEASON ATTORNEYS May 7, 1957 w. w. GLEAsoN SPRING ASSEMBLY FOR UPHOLSTERY Filed Nov. 8, 1954 United States Patent 2;?9059 SPRING ASSEMBLY EoRneHoLsrERn William- W. Gleason, Gliicago, lll, assignorto-Naeliman Co'lflorationg- Chicago,- Illl, a; corporation of Illinois pplication November 8,? 1954;; Seriali No.n 467 3513- 4 Claims. (Gl: 5---353I'` This invention relates-4 toaspring assembly for upholstered furniture, generally' referred to as spring as'- semol-ies of the MarshallA type; inwhich a plurality of spring coil'sare'- conlinedv in acompressedstateVY within individual cellsv or socks-'formed -of-"fabric' material'- joined one' to* another in a desired arrangement for use in the manufacturecf a cushion unitor other' upholstered furoiture. By` the=usecf precompressed spring-coil'A members coniine'd within cells' in an assembly of the type' described, the cushion unit that is formed'A is adapted usually to2 return substantially' immediately to its original shape unless' the spring elementswithin the cells' or socks become displaced or distorted or unless the fabricl deteriorates? to the' extent that oneor more ofy these' spring coil members is released to project outwardly beyond' the surface.

Inl constructions-of the type described' which have hererotore been produced?, it has be'en'- convenient" to. form a length olfi'su'clrr cells by stitching together the walls of fabric between separated spring coils' to form individual aligned cells in which the' springs are contained. The lengths of the`v cells are dimensioned tobe considerably le'ssthan the length of thek coil springs in their extended on relaxed 4condition withv the' result that the spring coils arel retained under tension in. their confiningcells cous'tntly tolurge the' e'nd's of' the fabric towards their original extended position by forces corresponding to the amount of contraction of the spring coils in use. The string of interconnected cellsis usually arranged to-f'orm one row of a unit andi` means' areI provided' for securing the rows one. to another to" form anintegrated assembly ot prestr'essedspring coils foruse in the manufacture of upholstered furniture. l

Theproblems inherent in' the construction ofy Marshall u'nits ol? thetype described reside chieflyin the means for economically' and eiciently joining the cells containing the spring coils into a composite assembly in which the cells are interconnected ina mann-er which produces a sturdy unit capable of maintaining a' relatively fla-t' surface under the conditions of use and without excessive wear on the fabric and without. permanent distortion or displacement of spring coils. Tov the present, use has been made' of cords or helical tie wires for interconnecting adjacent coils at their edge portions by threading' the` wire or cord over and rabove the edge portions of thete'rm'inal coil-s and the fabric' adjacent' thereto. While such assemblies have served successfully to join the elements one to another, it has been found that the elements in one section function wholly' independent ofthe elements in other sections of the spring assembly with the result that considerable unevenness' may exist in the surfaces of the unit, especially after a short period of use' where one section receives more use than the other. Such tie-in means as have heretoforel been employed dov not successfully prevent relative movements between the coils wherebyv one: spring` coil. may shift laterally relative to'- the otherv or' overlap the other. This: not only results in: uneven-ness in the surface but such relative ICC movements and' overlap causes excessive wear-of the fabric with theresult that replacement or repair isoften required to keepthe assembly in serviceable condition.

It" is an objectv of this invention toprod'uce Marshall units of the-A type: described inA whichl spring;l coils entrapped within fabric cells in a pre-tension relationv are interconnected one with the other adjacent thereto in a manner to minimizedistortion' or non-uniformityl in4 the surface-of the assembled springs, which' does not interfere with the cushioning action or the' ei'ciencyof the springr unit: in operation in cushions, which minimizes the amount of wear on the fabricin-which the-individual spring coils are housed, thereby to avoid' inadvertent displacement or release, and which preventsoverlapping of the coils of the'- spring uni'ts in' their assembled relation, and it is a related object to producea spring as'- sembly of the typedescribedy in which' such` means for interconnecting the spring coils within` their'cells is easily and quickly embodied in the structure and which constitutes means simple in constructionand operation thereby tocause little, if any, increase'in the cost of the-unit.

Theseand other objects andadvantages of this* invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodimentof the invention is shown intheaccompany-ing drawing in which- Figure l is a perspective View of aportion of a spring assembly embodyingfeatures of this` invention, andl Figure 2 is a perspective elevational view of a fragment of the spring assembly shown in Figure l, with portions broken away for better illustration of the interior thereof.

As illustrated in thedrawing; 10'- i'ndi'cates they individual coil springs confined Wit-hinV individual cells or socks 1-1f formed of tex-tile materialy 12", such asv bur-lap or other open-meshedfabric of soft and pliable material. In the construction of" a unit of the Marshall type, a plurality of such individua-l" coilv springs 10 mayv be arranged in an elongaterow 13! andi wrapped withthe textile fabric 12 which is then stitched lengthwise, as at 124'-, between the separatedL springs toV provide a series of interconnected cells: in av row- I3; after which the ends of the fabric are secured together as byi stitching after the springV coils have been compressed. tol form cel-ls of uniform lengths dirnensi'oned to-be considera-bly1 less than the lengths of the spring coils when i-ntheir extended or relaxed condition. Thus, an elongaterow- 1-3 of spring coilsv individually housed in interconnected cells in sideby-side relation are provided, the length of the row of cells corresponding preferably'to the length of the spring unit desired for the cushion assembly. Instead, separate cells containing compressed coil` springs confined therein may beformed and arranged inA side-by-side relation in the rows as desired.

Additional rows I5, 16 and 17 ofthe type describedl are; positioned crosswisev in contacting relation with each other to build up the Width of spring assemblydesired-L In the past, such separated cells in adjacent rows have been interconnected bytiel wires or by` i'ntert'ying` with stringsY or cords passed about adjacent terminal' portions of the spring coils, but as previouslydescribed, such means have been found to be, insuicient because of' their inability' to restrain one springl unit from displacement relative to others, and because of their inability toprevent overlap between spring units, with the result that excessive wear takes place which causes: deterioration of the fabric and release of the spring coils, or else the spring coils become permanently displaced wherebyl the spring assembly loses its shapev to which it would otherwise normally return. As a result, such spring units embodying tie-in means previously employed have required frequent'replacement and repair and have produced structures subject to rapid deterioration from the standpoint of appearance and utility in upholstered furniture. In accordance with the practice of this invention, such relative movements and displacements as accelerate deterioration of the textile material or which cause distor tion of the spring assembly or projection of one spring beyond the other in the assembly, are substantially completely eliminated by a construction wherein the terminal coils of adjacent spring members and the fabrics in which they are confined become interconnected one to another over substantial lengths in a manner which inter-relates one section of coil springs with another to make them more dependent one on the other in the assembly. As a result, a spring assembly embodying the improvements which will hereinafter be described remains substantially tlat in usebecause the terminal coils of adjacent springs hold up throughout at a uniform level and they are enabled to shift in overlapping relation. This arrangement also minimizes displacement and reduces the wear on the fabric between and about the coil springs in use.

These improvements in construction and operation have been found to result from the use of elongate, relatively rigid members of resilient material, such as steel wires or bands 20 and 21. The wires or bands are dimensionedto extend over the length or width of the unit to the outer edge portions of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs for attachment thereto as by twisting the ends of the wires or bands about the outermost portion of the terminal coils 23 to form loops 22. The intermediate portions of the wires or bands extend crosswise diametrically over the centers of the terminal coils of the coil springs therebetween in each row with the wire or band extending over the outside of the fabric of each cell through the major portion between the coils and through the fabric as at 24 and 25' in the outer periphery of the cells and beneath the terminal portions 26 of adjacent coil springs illustrated by the numerals 27 and 2S. Such interconnecting wires or bands 20 and 21 are preferably provided to extend both across the aligned lengthwise and crosswise rows of 'cells and spring coils respectively when the units are formed of unconnected cells. When rows of interconnected cells are employed, it is possible to make use only of one series of wires or bands arranged to extend across adjacent rows of cells for interconnecting the cells and coils of one row with aligned cells and coils of adjacent rows.

When constructed in this` manner, the wires or bands which extend crosswise diametrically over the outside of the fabric across the central portions of the cells function to engage the underside of the terminal portions of all of the spring coils in one row to the end that the spring coils will be supported as a unit at a uniform level with one group of coils in one section assisting to support the groups of coil springs in distant sections and vice versa. Similarly, the fabric forming the top and bottom walls of the cells located beneath the wires'or bands contributes to the support of the spring coils at a desirable uniformflevel. The close association between the fabric and the terminal coils of the coil springs and the limited space available at the fabric portion cut off by the band extending therethrough beneath the terminal coils limits the extent of relative movement of the coil springs suiciently to preventoverlapping or` extensive' amountsl of relative movement. It will be apparent that the limited space available be tween the fabric and the band passing therethrough in which the terminal portions of adjacent coil springs are confined serves to maintain the relative position between the fabric and the coil springs to minimize the amount of relative movement or `abrasion and the amount of wear that can take place which would otherwise cause the rapid and excessive deterioration of the fabric. The limited spaeeavailable inthe portion of the fabric cut oft' by the wires or bands and in which the terminal por tions of the coil springsare located preventspermanent displacement of the spring coils such as might result in permanent distortion of the springv assembly. The cooperative relationship which exists between the wires or bands which resiliently engage the terminal portions of the coils on the underside and the fabric of the cells which engage the terminal portions of the coils on the top side as well as at the sides and the limited space available for movement of the terminal portions of the `coil springs has been found substantially to prevent one coil from climbing over the other to a different level thereby to provide a spring assembly characterized by a permanent iiat surface and in which wear is kept to a minimum.

In addition to the function of the wires or bands in supporting the coil springs ata uniform level in fixed relation in their upper and lower portions of their cells of fabric material with the consequent advantages described, the crosswise and lengthwise wires or bands which extend diametrically across the terminal coils of the coil springs plug the space therebetween which might otherwise become filled with packing or the like upholstery material which would then be visible from the outside of the upholstered cushion unit and would cause unevenness and possible discomfort in the use thereof.

It will be understood that numerous other advantages result from the use of crossing wires and bands assembled in the manner described in a Marshall unit and that changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

l claim; I

l. A spring assembly of the Marshall type comprising a plurality of coil springs, a cell for each coil spring formed of textile material and dimensioned to have a diameter corresponding generally to the diameter of the coil springs and a length less than the normal length of the coil springs, said coil springs being confined within said cells in a compressed state to form prefabricated units which are separate and apart from each other, and means` interconnecting said spring containing cells aligned in rows to effect an assembled relation, said interconnecting means comprising elongate elements of rigid material dimensioned to have a length corresponding to the length of the row of aligned cells with the ends of the elements secured to the outer edges of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs in` the row and with the portion between the ends extending continuously in a straight line diametrically across the cells arranged in side by side relation in the row with the elements extending through the fabric in the edge portions of each cell adjacent the terminal coils of the coil springs confined therein for passage beneath the terminal coil portions of adjacent coil springs with the remainder of the elements extending outside of the fabric of the cells between the edge portions.

2. A spring assembly of the Marshall type comprising a plurality of coil springs, a cell for each coil spring formed `of textile material and dimensioned to have a diameter corresponding generally to the diameter of the coil springs and a length less than the normal length ot' the coil springs, said coil springs being confined within said cells in a compressed state to provide Prefabricated units which are unconnected one to the other by stitching between the fabric, and means interconnecting said spring containing cells aligned in rows to effect an assembled relation, said interconnecting means comprising elongate metal members dimensioned to have a length corresponding to the length of the row` of aligned cells with the ends of the metal members secured to the outer edges of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs in the row and with the portion between the ends extending diametrically across the cells arranged in side by side relation in the row with the vmetal members extending through the' fabric in the edge portions of each cell adjacent the terminal coils of the coil springs confined therein for passage beneaththeterminal coil portions of adjacent 5 coil springs with the remainder of the metal members extending outside of the fabric of the cells between the edge portions.

3. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the cells are interconnected by stitching lengths of fabric together between aligned spring coils and in which the tie-in elements extend crosswise between cells aligned crosswse in each row to effect an interconnected relation.

4. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the cells are formed individually and aligned in lengthwise and crosswise rows and in which the tie-in elements extend crosswise and lengthwise interconnecting the cells in the crosswise and lengthwise rows.

References Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,140,973 Foill May 25, 1915 1,875,521 Suekof Sept. 6, 1932 2,541,468 Ebert Feb. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 328,562 Great Britain Apr. 28, 1930 

